What is anthropophagy?

Anthropophagy means cannibalism – the practice of human beings eating other human beings. The word is a combination of Greek words: anthropos meaning human being, and phagein meaning to eat. Cannibalism might involve eating other humans after killing them intentionally or eating body parts of those whose death has occurred due to other causes. The practice of eating humans of one’s own community is called endocannibalism and eating humans of other communities is called exocannibalism. According to anthropologists, cannibalism might have been more common in the early human evolution than in modern societies. Today, it is rumoured to be practised by tribals in different parts of the world as part of their rites. Due to the extreme stigma associated with such things, evidence and claims related to cannibalism are highly unreliable. If it has existed, the causes must be the following: 1. Situations of extreme food scarcity, such as famine; 2. Insanity; 3. Superstitions such as the belief that eating of another’s brain would serve to increase one’s own powers and 4. In wars, to show one’s power over the enemy. The universal symbol of cannibalism is a lolling tongue.